The Expansion Relations of Clause Complexing (CC) in the Editorials of the Daily Graphic.

Abstract

This paper focuses on the expansion relations of clause complexes in editorials of a Ghanaian daily newspaper. The problems discussed are: elaboration, extension and enhancement relations of clause complexes in the editorials, and the realization of those clause complexes through the use of conjunctive signals in the lexicogrammar. Theory of systemic functional grammar which says that the expansion can be of three kinds elaboration, extension and enhancement; suggested by Halliday (1994; 2004; 2014) underlies the discussion. The article adopts a qualitative approach as it textually investigates ten (10) purposively sampled editorials from the Daily Graphic. The results reveal that the clause complexes are of elaboration, extension and enhancement. On the whole, enhancement is highly used followed by elaboration and extension. The realization is relatively good as the choice among expansion characterizes each relation between clauses (each nexus) within a clause complex.

Keywords: editorials (EDT), clause complexing (CC), expansion, elaboration, extension, enhancement.